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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. lie — an untruth
  3. capital — a city
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. capital — money
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. tear — to rip
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — a company
  12. swing — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. swing — to play on
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. swing — in golf
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. firm — decided
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — a horse colour

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