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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. court — of a king
  3. mine — for digging
  4. court — of law
  5. firm — steady
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. firm — decided
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. court — for sport
  12. roll — a list
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — a cake
  17. firm — a company
  18. band — a music group
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. band — a ring

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