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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spring — the season
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. clip — for paper
  8. spring — a coil
  9. clip — a video
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. track — to keep track
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. clip — to cut
  19. spring — of water
  20. roll — a list
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. track — a path
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. roll — a cake

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