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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. file — a tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — a grade
  6. file — a document
  7. fall — the season
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. firm — a company
  12. board — to get on
  13. file — a line of people
  14. firm — steady
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — decided
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — a committee
  24. perch — the fish

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