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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rush — hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. drill — a practice
  6. court — of a king
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. can — a tin
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. drill — army training
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. court — for sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. drill — the tool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rest — a break
  21. court — of law
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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