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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. rock — music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. last — to go on
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — of a word
  8. net — after costs
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. staff — employees
  11. net — for catching
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. staff — a stick
  15. last — final
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. charge — in control
  18. rock — a stone
  19. charge — a price
  20. root — of a plant
  21. last — finally
  22. root — the cause
  23. net — in sport
  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