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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spring — of water
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cold — an illness
  8. deal — to handle
  9. race — a contest
  10. cold — not warm
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bound — certain
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bound — obliged
  15. current — happening now
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. race — humankind
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. race — the arms race
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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