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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bass — the fish
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bass — low music
  10. ground — a position
  11. lean — thin
  12. staff — employees
  13. kick — in football
  14. game — a match
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. staff — employees
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — wild animals
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lean — to bend
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. lean — to rest against

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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