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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mark — a grade
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pit — in a race
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. track — a song
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — a trace
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pop — soda
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pop — to visit
  20. track — a path
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fall — the season
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pop — music

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