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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bass — the fish
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wax — to grow
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bass — low music

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