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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in 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. dip — to sink
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. season — in sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. season — of the year
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. march — the month
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. march — music
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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