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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — rain
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fall — the season
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. track — a song

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