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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cold — an illness
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — hurry
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cold — not warm
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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