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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called 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. mug — to rob
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — not warm
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mug — a face
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cold — an illness
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mug — a cup
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bank — of a river
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. plane — in geometry

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