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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mug — a face
  4. ground — a position
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. charge — a price
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — crushed
  11. charge — in control
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stand — to bear
  16. band — a music group
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mark — a grade
  21. band — a ring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — to rob
  24. band — a rubber band

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