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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lean — thin
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mate — a friend
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. degree — temperature
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. date — the fruit

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