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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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. kid — to tease
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. land — to come down
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bank — for money
  23. kid — child
  24. pit — a hole

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