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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. land — to come down
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. land — ground
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. land — a country
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — in cards
  24. perch — for a bird

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