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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. toast — bread
  2. spell — magic
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pop — soda
  16. spell — letters
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. club — for dancing
  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