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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. game — a match
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — a trail
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. chip — for betting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wake — before a funeral

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