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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 116 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. drill — the tool
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. degree — from a university
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. degree — an amount
  15. fork — in a road
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. drill — army training

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