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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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. prune — to trim
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pit — in a race
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. suit — to fit
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mark — a trace
  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