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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rash — hasty
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rash — a series
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bound — certain
  14. pass — a permit
  15. track — a song
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. track — a path
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. trunk — of a tree

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