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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fall — to drop
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fall — the season
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bank — of a river
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. snap — to click

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