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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — a price
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. degree — an amount
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — a trail
  18. degree — from a university
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — temperature
  22. key — in music
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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