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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. court — of a king
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. court — of law
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. court — for sport
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spell — letters
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wound — an injury
  15. spell — magic
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mate — to breed
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cue — for pool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wound — an injury

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