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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fall — to drop
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — crushed
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fall — the season
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ground — a position
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ground — the earth

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