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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wind — moving air
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — a garden tool

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