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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. track — a song
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — to keep track
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — clever
  12. board — a committee
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. prune — to trim
  17. track — a path
  18. charge — a price
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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