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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stand — to bear
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — a price
  17. degree — from a university
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. saw — the tool

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