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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. season — in sport
  5. firm — steady
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. object — to protest
  9. season — of the year
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — an aim
  17. firm — decided
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. object — a thing
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rash — a series

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