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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mine — for digging
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — a break
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. field — farmland
  9. cue — a signal
  10. field — for sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. field — a subject
  23. content — happy
  24. leaves — to go away

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