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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. firm — a company
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — of the year
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cold — not warm
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — decided
  14. cold — an illness
  15. season — in sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pit — a hole
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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