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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. root — the cause
  5. firm — steady
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. row — a line
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. row — to paddle
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hand — in cards
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. firm — decided
  22. hand — help
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — an untruth

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