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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. charge — in control
  3. present — a gift
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — the time now
  10. band — a music group
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. charge — a price
  16. band — a ring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. scale — in music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. present — there
  23. rush — hurry
  24. plane — a tool

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