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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. craft — boats
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mate — to breed
  16. kid — to tease
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. spell — magic

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