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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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. drill — the tool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — a thing
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. object — an aim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — to protest
  19. drill — army training
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. kid — child
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — a strongbox

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