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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ground — a position
  3. suit — to fit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — boats
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ground — the earth
  18. snap — to click
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — low music
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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