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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. kick — in football
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — for money
  18. kid — child
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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