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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. track — a path
  5. craft — boats
  6. dip — to sink
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a skill
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. track — to keep track
  13. charge — in control
  14. track — a song
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. land — ground
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — a sauce
  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