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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 120 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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. bat — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tear — to rip
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lash — an eyelash

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