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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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. lash — to lash out
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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