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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. charge — a price
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. track — a song
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ball — a dance
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ball — a great time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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