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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 116 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. field — a subject
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a trace
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bank — of a river
  16. field — for sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — a position
  21. field — farmland
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ground — the earth

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