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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mark — a grade
  3. court — of a king
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. toast — bread
  7. row — to paddle
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rock — a stone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. court — of law
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — for sport
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rock — to move gently

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