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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. row — a line
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — magic
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. can — to be able to
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mark — a grade
  19. can — a tin
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — letters
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. spell — a short time
  24. row — to paddle

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