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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. land — ground
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. land — a country
  7. deal — to handle
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. net — after costs
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. land — to come down
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. net — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hand — help
  24. bay — a horse colour

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