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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 124 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bank — of a river
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. capital — money
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. object — an aim
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. object — a thing

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