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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. roll — a list
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — a path
  12. mate — a friend
  13. shower — rain
  14. mate — a partner
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. track — a song
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — a signal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. cue — for pool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mate — to breed

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