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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lean — to bend
  5. file — a tool
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. row — a line
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lean — thin
  19. date — the fruit
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. file — a document
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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