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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. field — for sport
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — magic
  11. capital — money
  12. spell — letters
  13. capital — a city
  14. spell — a short time
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. field — a subject
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. field — farmland
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — a loud noise

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