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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — letters
  4. mate — to breed
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — to cut
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — boats
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — a friend
  23. clip — a video
  24. fan — a supporter

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