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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rash — a series
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pound — a weight
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. sharp — clever
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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