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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. staff — a stick
  8. drill — army training
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mug — a face
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chest — a box
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. staff — employees
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mug — a cup

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