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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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. hide — animal skin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees

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