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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. scale — size or range
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. row — a line
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. scale — in music
  14. dip — to sink
  15. wake — a trail
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. row — to paddle
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. toast — bread
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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