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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — an aim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a match
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — a face
  9. charge — in control
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. charge — electricity
  12. object — a thing
  13. cold — an illness
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — not warm
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. charge — a price
  22. object — to protest
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. fork — in a road

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