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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. row — a line
  3. rest — a break
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — part of the head
  9. row — to paddle
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bass — low music
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cue — for pool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. face — to confront

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