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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. race — humankind
  7. shower — rain
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — music
  12. spring — the season
  13. march — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. race — a contest
  16. spring — of water
  17. march — the month
  18. mug — to rob
  19. shower — to wash
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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