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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. charge — in control
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. toast — bread
  10. roll — a list
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. race — the arms race
  13. charge — a price
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — humankind
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. roll — a cake
  22. race — a contest
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. roll — on a roll

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