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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pop — to visit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. suit — in cards
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rock — music
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rock — a stone
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pop — music
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — an injury
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pop — soda

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