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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.

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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. drill — the tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — there
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. drill — army training
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. present — a gift
  12. spell — letters
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — the cause
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spell — magic
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — a short time
  19. present — the time now
  20. root — of a word
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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