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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. rest — what's left
  3. present — the time now
  4. degree — from a university
  5. fall — to drop
  6. degree — an amount
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — what's left
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rest — a break
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. present — a gift
  18. degree — temperature
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. present — there
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fall — the season
  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