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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. field — a subject
  24. nail — for a hammer

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