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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bear — the animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — in control
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. staff — employees
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ball — a great time
  10. scale — size or range
  11. dip — to sink
  12. scale — in music
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — a container
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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