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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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — in cards
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. degree — temperature
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pop — music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pop — to visit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pop — soda
  15. face — to confront
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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