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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pop — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fall — the season
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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