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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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. swing — to play on
  3. ground — a position
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. swing — music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ground — crushed
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. snap — to click
  14. ground — the earth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. stand — to bear
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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