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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — for a lock
  13. perch — the fish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. chip — for betting
  23. key — the most important part
  24. patient — a sick person

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