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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse 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. kid — to tease
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fall — the season
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. object — a thing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spell — letters
  11. object — an aim
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kid — child
  15. drill — army training
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — to protest
  24. spell — magic

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