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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mug — to rob
  6. swing — in golf
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fall — to drop
  10. swing — music
  11. row — a line
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. face — to point toward
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fall — the season
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. face — to confront
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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