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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fine — all right
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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