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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. plane — a tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. drill — army training
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — of water
  16. snap — to click
  17. drill — a practice
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. plane — an aircraft

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