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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cold — not warm
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. press — to push
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — an illness
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a dance
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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