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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. last — to go on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. snap — to click
  11. mark — a grade
  12. last — finally
  13. cap — a lid
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. last — final

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