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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 120 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — letters
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. spell — magic
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. foot — a measure

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