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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bass — low music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bass — the fish
  9. face — to point toward
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — boats
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — to tire
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. face — to confront
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. craft — a handicraft

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