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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. net — for catching
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. net — in sport
  18. coach — a trainer

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