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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. craft — boats
  8. pop — soda
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pop — to visit
  11. track — a song
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. snap — to click
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pop — music

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