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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. kid — child
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — all right
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lean — thin
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bark — to shout

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