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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. season — in sport
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. season — of the year
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. roll — a list
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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