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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chest — a box
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bear — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. march — the month
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. saw — the tool
  24. march — music

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