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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 120 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — low music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chip — for betting

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