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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. root — the cause
  10. bat — the animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. root — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — of a word
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. swing — to play on
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — a hat

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