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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. tube — a container
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bound — certain
  7. tube — the underground
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rush — hurry
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — a company
  15. season — in sport
  16. firm — decided
  17. row — a line
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. firm — steady
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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