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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — a price
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. charge — in control
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mug — a face
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mug — a cup
  20. degree — an amount
  21. charge — electricity
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. degree — from a university
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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