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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. game — wild animals
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. race — a contest
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. row — a line
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bore — to drill
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. race — humankind
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. game — a match

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