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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fork — in a road
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wake — a trail
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. shower — rain
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bound — certain
  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