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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a ring
  3. degree — an amount
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cue — a signal
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. band — a music group
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — temperature
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cue — a hint
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. hand — help
  18. cue — for pool
  19. degree — from a university
  20. hand — in cards
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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