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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. track — a path
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fine — high quality
  10. spring — the season
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. spring — of water
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. drill — army training
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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