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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. degree — temperature
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — finally
  6. object — an aim
  7. last — final
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — boats
  13. last — to go on
  14. capital — money
  15. object — to protest
  16. capital — a city
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — a company
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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