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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: dip · cue · bowl · rock · bay · leaves · wake · present

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. present — there
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rock — music
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cue — a signal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. present — a gift

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