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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mug — a face
  3. court — of law
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. object — to protest
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bore — to tire
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — to rob
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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