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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. snap — to click
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mark — a grade
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rest — what's left
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lie — to recline
  22. object — a thing
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hide — to keep secret

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