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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. file — a tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. file — a document
  12. spell — magic
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spell — letters
  17. wake — a trail
  18. file — a line of people
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. bay — a horse colour

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