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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. net — in sport
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. net — after costs
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chest — a box
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — for catching
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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