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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. club — for dancing
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. bat — the animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. club — a group
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mate — a friend
  22. club — for golf
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cap — a lid

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