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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — of a king
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. march — music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rest — a break
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. march — the month
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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