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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. charge — a price
  3. snap — to click
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. charge — in control
  8. band — a ring
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rest — a break

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