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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stand — to bear
  6. hand — help
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pop — to visit
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — soda
  15. march — music
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pop — music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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