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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mate — a friend
  4. scale — in music
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — a partner
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rule — government
  9. club — a group
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fine — all right
  17. face — to confront
  18. kid — to tease
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rule — a law

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