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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. spell — magic
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. court — for sport
  11. spell — letters
  12. rash — a series
  13. court — of a king
  14. mug — a face
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — a short time
  17. court — of law
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rash — hasty
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — to hurry

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