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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. scale — size or range
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wind — moving air
  18. snap — to click

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