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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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. rule — government
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. net — for catching
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. charge — a price
  10. net — after costs
  11. firm — a company
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. firm — steady
  16. craft — boats
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rule — a law
  20. net — in sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — decided
  24. bat — for baseball

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