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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — a break
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. deal — to handle
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — an agreement

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