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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. suit — to fit
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rule — a law
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. prune — to trim
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. prune — to trim
  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