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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 124 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. firm — decided
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. field — a subject
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. field — farmland
  11. firm — steady
  12. face — to confront
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — in football
  18. face — to point toward
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — the season
  23. firm — a company
  24. field — for sport

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