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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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. prune — the fruit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. prune — to trim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. season — in sport
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — of the year
  20. prune — to trim
  21. roll — a cake
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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