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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. roll — a list
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mine — for digging
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. roll — a cake
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. squash — the sport
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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