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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. charge — a price
  3. dip — to sink
  4. charge — in control
  5. march — the month
  6. season — of the year
  7. charge — electricity
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wind — moving air
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. season — in sport
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. march — the month
  21. wind — moving air
  22. march — music
  23. face — to confront
  24. dip — a sauce

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