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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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 — in a tire
  3. firm — steady
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — the underground
  7. land — a country
  8. firm — decided
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to point toward
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — a container
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. land — ground
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. land — to come down
  21. face — to confront
  22. fork — in a road
  23. firm — a company
  24. fork — a garden tool

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