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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cell — a phone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — a committee
  19. rock — music
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bore — to drill
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bore — to tire
  24. board — a flat piece

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