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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. court — of law
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. land — a country
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rock — music
  11. court — for sport
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rock — a stone
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. land — ground
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. land — to come down
  24. pound — a weight

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