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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cell — in biology
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. club — for golf
  24. cell — a phone

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