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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 116 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. march — music
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mate — a partner
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bound — certain
  8. march — the month
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bound — tied together
  11. march — the month
  12. band — a music group
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mate — a friend
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. dip — to sink

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