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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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. key — in music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. row — a line
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. row — to paddle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — army training
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — on a finger

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