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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. last — finally
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — electricity
  9. dip — to sink
  10. last — to go on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — in control
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — a price
  20. lean — thin
  21. rest — a break
  22. bass — low music
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. last — final

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