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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. last — to go on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. court — for sport
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — finally
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. file — a document
  12. court — of law
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. last — final
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rash — a series
  24. court — of a king

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