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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. snap — to click
  12. chest — of your body
  13. press — to push
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. drill — the tool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. press — a publisher
  21. drill — army training
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mug — a face
  24. bay — a horse colour

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