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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mug — to rob
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ground — the earth
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chest — a box
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ground — a position
  10. swing — music
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — letters
  14. chest — of your body
  15. swing — to play on
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spell — magic
  18. ground — crushed
  19. swing — in golf
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. deal — to handle

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