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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. ground — a position
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — an illness
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — a thrill

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