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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pit — a hole
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — in a race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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