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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rash — a series
  3. present — there
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. present — the time now
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. present — a gift
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. staff — employees
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — a match
  24. stem — to come from

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