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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · bear · foot · nail · mark · wake · toast · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. toast — bread
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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