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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pop — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mark — a trace
  11. dip — to sink
  12. season — of the year
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. coach — a trainer

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