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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — to protest
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. prune — to trim
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. craft — a skill
  7. object — a thing
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. craft — boats

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