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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. kid — child
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. charge — a price
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kid — to tease
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mark — a trace
  17. charge — in control
  18. bark — to shout
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bay — a horse colour

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