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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. track — a path
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a song
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — a weight

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