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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. mark — a trace
  3. land — a country
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pop — soda
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a lid
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pop — music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mark — a grade
  22. land — ground
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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