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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. dip — to sink
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ground — a position
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pop — soda
  19. cell — a phone
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. roll — a list
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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