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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — in sport
  3. spell — letters
  4. club — for golf
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. track — to keep track
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — a tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. track — a song
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. net — for catching
  21. season — of the year
  22. spell — magic
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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