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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 124 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pop — to visit
  3. spring — of water
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. charge — in control
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. charge — a price
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — to bend
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lean — to rest against

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