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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wake — a trail
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. key — for a lock
  7. net — for catching
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — in music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. net — after costs
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. net — in sport
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — part of the body

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