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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — decided
  3. mug — a cup
  4. field — a subject
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wound — an injury
  8. press — to push
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wound — an injury
  14. firm — a company
  15. field — farmland
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. field — for sport
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. firm — steady
  22. mug — a face
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rash — a series

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