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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. last — finally
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. can — to be able to
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. plane — a tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bay — a horse colour

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