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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. fork — a garden tool
  3. hand — help
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mate — a partner
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — to breed
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mate — a friend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — in football
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fork — in a road
  24. kick — a thrill

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