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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. toast — bread
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. toast — the most admired

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