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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — all right
  12. fall — the season
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stand — to bear
  15. march — the month
  16. fall — to drop
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. march — music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. sharp — clever
  24. march — the month

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