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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 120 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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. field — farmland
  3. chest — a box
  4. court — of a king
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. court — for sport
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. charge — a price
  14. field — a subject
  15. court — of law
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — in football
  19. chest — of your body
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. charge — in control
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. field — for sport
  24. bowl — a football final

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