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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: bulb · mark · cold · lash · foot · bay · cabinet · track

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a song
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. cold — an illness
  16. track — a path
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. track — to keep track

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