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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. craft — boats
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. race — a contest
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. charge — in control
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. race — humankind
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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