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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. lie — an untruth
  3. mine — for digging
  4. charge — in control
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — the season
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — a price
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. charge — electricity
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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