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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rock — a stone
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. court — of law
  16. rock — music
  17. court — for sport
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. branch — a division
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fine — high quality

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