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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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. bear — the animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — to protest
  9. row — a line
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. saw — the tool
  18. row — to paddle
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bank — for money
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — a thing
  23. face — to confront
  24. bank — for money

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