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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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. fan — to cool the air
  3. rock — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. object — to protest
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. net — for catching
  8. pit — a hole
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — in a race
  13. object — a thing
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. net — after costs
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — an aim
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. net — in sport

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