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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. capital — money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rest — a break
  9. net — after costs
  10. capital — a city
  11. content — happy
  12. net — in sport
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pit — in a race
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — the amount
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. capital — a big letter

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