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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 116 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — a tin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mug — a face
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. can — a tin
  12. fall — the season
  13. lean — to bend
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. file — a tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. file — a document
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lean — thin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mug — a cup

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