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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rash — hasty
  8. field — farmland
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rash — a series
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. cap — of ice
  19. field — a subject
  20. bulb — for light
  21. track — a path
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cap — a lid
  24. field — for sport

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