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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. staff — employees
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bat — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. firm — steady
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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