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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 120 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — electricity
  5. last — final
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. charge — in control
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bark — to shout
  15. last — finally
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wound — an injury

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