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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rest — a break
  11. shower — rain
  12. mug — a cup
  13. tube — the underground
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mug — a face
  18. season — in sport
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. tube — a container
  22. season — of the year
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. can — a tin

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