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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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. can — a tin
  3. spring — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spring — the season
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. degree — an amount
  20. can — a tin
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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