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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bank — for money
  4. file — a tool
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — a law
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. file — a line of people
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — government
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bank — of a river

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