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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. object — a thing
  7. clip — a video
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pop — music
  10. clip — for paper
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pop — to visit
  14. clip — to cut
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. object — an aim
  20. lean — thin
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pop — soda
  23. track — a song
  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