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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. present — there
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chest — of your body
  5. present — the time now
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — for betting
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. chest — a box
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — a tight spot

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