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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — low music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. object — to protest
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pop — to visit
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — clothes
  15. face — to point toward
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. face — to confront
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. object — an aim
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — a tool

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