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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cold — not warm
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. court — of a king
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. track — a song
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. court — of law
  13. cold — an illness
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. court — for sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. track — a path
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — to tire
  24. dip — a sauce

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