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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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. firm — a company
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. firm — steady
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. craft — boats
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — a skill
  20. key — for a lock
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. squash — the sport

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