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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — a contest
  5. mug — a face
  6. race — humankind
  7. lean — to bend
  8. track — a path
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. spring — of water
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mug — a cup
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lean — thin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spring — the season

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