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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — in sport
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — of the year
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. last — to go on
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. last — finally
  16. tube — a container
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. last — final
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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