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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rest — what's left
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rest — a break
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — a country
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. court — of law
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  24. can — a tin

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