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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lie — to recline
  4. land — to come down
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. land — ground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — a price
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — decided
  23. land — a country
  24. rush — a thrill

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