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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ground — crushed
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. drill — a practice
  14. ground — a position
  15. charge — in control
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ground — the earth
  21. charge — a price
  22. date — the fruit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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