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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. band — a ring
  10. degree — from a university
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. band — a music group
  14. degree — temperature
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. degree — an amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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