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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — in football
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hide — to keep secret

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