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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. object — an aim
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. land — a country
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rash — a series
  20. land — to come down
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. land — ground
  23. face — to point toward
  24. object — a thing

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