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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. spring — of water
  4. mug — to rob
  5. spring — the season
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mug — a face
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bat — for baseball

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