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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. deal — to handle
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spring — the season
  7. saw — the tool
  8. branch — a division
  9. spring — a coil
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wind — moving air
  12. spring — of water
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — decided
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ground — the earth
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. firm — a company
  24. deal — a big deal

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