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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. club — for dancing
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — an aim
  9. club — a group
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. perch — the fish
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. club — for golf
  16. object — a thing
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — to protest
  24. kick — in football

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