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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — a hole
  8. club — a group
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. staff — employees
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — temperature
  14. land — to come down
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — for golf
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bear — the animal

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