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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. season — in sport
  6. hand — help
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cap — a lid
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. swing — music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rash — a series
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — of the year
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — hasty
  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