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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: deal · object · wake · bay · row · pit · spell · hide

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. object — a thing
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — a trail
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spell — magic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — letters
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spell — a short time
  19. row — a line
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — an aim
  24. bay — a horse colour

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