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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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. tube — a container
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. wind — moving air
  6. deal — to handle
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bulb — for light

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