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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. face — to point toward
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. drill — army training
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. drill — a practice
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. face — to confront

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