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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. drill — the tool
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fine — high quality
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. drill — army training
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fork — in a road

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