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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. kick — in football
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chair — a leader
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. chair — to sit on

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