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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wind — moving air

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