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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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. stand — on your feet
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hand — help
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ball — a great time

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