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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. race — a contest
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rock — music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — a division

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