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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. last — finally
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spring — of water
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. last — final
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — in biology
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. last — to go on
  21. game — a match
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mark — a trace

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