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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. drill — army training
  12. season — in sport
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bass — the fish
  15. tear — from crying
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — from crying
  18. root — the cause
  19. season — of the year
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. drill — a practice
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bay — a horse colour

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