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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — the season
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bark — to shout
  7. field — farmland
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. field — a subject
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spring — of water
  23. field — for sport
  24. temple — a place of worship

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