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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. tube — a container
  5. mug — a cup
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. charge — in control
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. charge — a price
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — a face
  23. stand — to bear
  24. charge — electricity

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