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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. swing — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. degree — temperature
  6. cap — a hat
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cap — of ice
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. mine — for digging
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. degree — from a university
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — a grade
  24. staff — a stick

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