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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 116 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. pitcher — a jug
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bound — certain
  18. march — the month
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lie — an untruth

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