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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. last — to go on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. last — finally
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. last — final
  24. bay — a horse colour

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