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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — a law
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. perch — the fish
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. land — to come down
  15. bass — low music
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mine — for digging
  21. land — ground
  22. rule — government
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — to rule out

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