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

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. toast — bread
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rule — a law
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rule — government
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — a stone

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