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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. roll — a cake
  5. land — to come down
  6. roll — a list
  7. land — a country
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. craft — a skill
  13. land — ground
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — to recline
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fall — the season
  19. track — a song
  20. craft — boats
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — a path
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fall — to drop

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