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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. net — for catching
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. net — after costs
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. hand — help
  12. land — ground
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. land — a country
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. land — to come down
  19. net — in sport
  20. rock — a stone
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kick — in football
  24. chest — of your body

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