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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. tube — a container
  6. bat — the animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. present — there
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. present — the time now
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — a gift
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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