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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hand — help
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — to fit
  11. capital — a city
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — a trail
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. capital — money

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