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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. dip — to sink
  3. land — ground
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. court — of a king
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. land — a country
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. court — for sport
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to click
  21. court — of law
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bear — to put up with

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