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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cap — a lid
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — of ice
  7. key — for a lock
  8. clip — a video
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. clip — for paper
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. clip — to cut
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — in music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — a hat

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