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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. capital — money
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. capital — a city
  5. pit — in a race
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bass — low music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — of ice
  18. craft — boats
  19. mate — a friend
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bass — the fish
  23. scale — size or range
  24. cap — a hat

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