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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hand — help
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bear — the animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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