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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. saw — the tool
  7. field — farmland
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rush — hurry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. field — for sport
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. field — a subject
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. date — on the calendar

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