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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. band — a music group
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. craft — boats
  7. game — wild animals
  8. season — in sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mate — to breed
  12. craft — a skill
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. season — of the year
  18. game — a match
  19. mate — a friend
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — to roll

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