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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. firm — decided
  3. season — in sport
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. suit — clothes
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. season — of the year
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. firm — a company

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