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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fork — in a road
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. capital — money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. capital — a city
  14. rule — a law
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rule — government
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stem — a stem cell

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