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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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. bay — a part of the sea
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — in sport
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. charge — in control
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chip — to eat
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — to come from
  23. season — of the year
  24. charge — a price

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