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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hand — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rock — music
  15. hand — help
  16. rock — a stone
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a trace
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — hurry

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