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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wind — moving air
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. content — happy
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. scale — in music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — the amount
  18. can — a tin
  19. sharp — clever
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. can — a tin
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rule — government

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