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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. season — of the year
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — in sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bound — tied together
  22. face — to confront
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bound — certain

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