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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. snap — to click
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. present — the time now
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wind — moving air
  11. present — a gift
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — to be able to
  17. present — there
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rock — music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. can — a tin

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