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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bark — to shout
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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