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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. row — a line
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fine — all right
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. row — to paddle
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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