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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fine — all right
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. snap — to click
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. ruler — for measuring

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