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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mate — to breed
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — of a river
  13. perch — the fish
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wake — a trail

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