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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. staff — employees
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pound — a weight
  10. scale — in music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mug — a face
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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