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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. spring — of water
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. shower — rain
  24. spring — the season

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