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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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. saw — the tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. face — part of the head
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. firm — a company
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. drill — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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