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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. board — to get on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. board — a committee
  18. mug — a face
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. race — a contest
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — humankind

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