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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bank — of a river
  3. cold — an illness
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pop — soda
  10. swing — music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cold — not warm
  13. mug — a face
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pit — in a race
  17. swing — to play on
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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