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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. spell — letters
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chest — of your body
  6. staff — employees
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wake — a trail
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rock — music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. spell — magic
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — a stone

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