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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. track — a path
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. track — a song
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. track — to keep track
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fall — the season
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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