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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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. bowl — a football final
  3. charge — in control
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. shower — to wash
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rule — a law
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. charge — a price
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. shower — rain
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. bowl — a dish

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