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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. present — the time now
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. club — a group
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chip — to eat
  9. present — a gift
  10. cold — an illness
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — there
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cold — not warm
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. club — for dancing
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. foot — a measure
  22. suit — in cards
  23. club — for golf
  24. leaves — lets stay

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