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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hand — help
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. spell — letters
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. sharp — clever
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — magic

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