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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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — a price
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bass — low music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. capital — money
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — in control
  16. capital — a city
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rest — a break
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — electricity

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