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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cell — in biology
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. court — of a king
  12. bass — low music
  13. court — for sport
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. court — of law
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lean — thin
  24. bore — to drill

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