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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. field — farmland
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. game — a match
  11. bulb — for light
  12. field — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rush — hurry
  19. tube — a container
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mark — a trace
  23. field — a subject
  24. mark — a grade

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