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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. degree — temperature
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — for sport
  7. last — finally
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. court — of law
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. last — final
  16. court — of a king
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — an amount
  20. saw — the tool
  21. last — to go on
  22. tube — a container
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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