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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. firm — steady
  3. race — a contest
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mug — a face
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — humankind
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. firm — decided
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. kick — in football
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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