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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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. wind — moving air
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. club — a group
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stand — to bear
  10. club — for golf
  11. mug — to rob
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mug — a cup
  19. tube — a container
  20. spring — the season
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mug — a face
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — to turn a key

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