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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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. land — a country
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. degree — an amount
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pit — a hole
  14. land — to come down
  15. suit — clothes
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pit — in a race
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bound — certain

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