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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mark — a grade
  7. swing — in golf
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. drill — army training
  10. mark — a trace
  11. snap — to click
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. swing — to play on
  17. row — a line
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. drill — a practice

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