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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pit — a hole
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. press — to push
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chip — for betting
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fall — the season
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pit — in a race
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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