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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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Word bank
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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: bay · suit · hide · season · wind · wake · tube · cue

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. season — of the year
  3. tube — a container
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. suit — clothes
  22. season — in sport
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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