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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. kick — in football
  9. bound — tied together
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a grade
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. file — a tool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bound — obliged
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — a trainer

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