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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. drill — army training
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — a short time
  14. sharp — clever
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. drill — the tool

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