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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. tube — a container
  6. ground — a position
  7. mate — a partner
  8. land — ground
  9. ground — the earth
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — to come down
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rule — a law
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mate — to breed
  17. land — a country
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — government
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mate — a friend
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — a trainer

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