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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. march — the month
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — a song
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. march — the month
  18. ground — a position
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. march — music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ground — crushed
  24. track — a path

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