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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — a position
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ground — crushed
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com