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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. stand — to bear
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. prune — to trim
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. toast — bread
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bat — the animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — for spectators

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