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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. scale — in music
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. march — the month
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. march — music
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. march — the month
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rock — music
  24. chip — for betting

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