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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wake — a trail
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. race — humankind
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. race — a contest
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mug — a cup
  22. toast — bread
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. face — part of the head

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