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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. march — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. march — the month
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cue — a signal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bound — obliged
  21. degree — from a university
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bound — certain

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