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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. clip — to cut
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — a video
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pit — a hole

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