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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — the cause
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bass — low music
  21. root — of a word
  22. wind — moving air
  23. kick — in football
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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