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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. last — finally
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wake — a trail
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kick — a thrill

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