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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. firm — a company
  3. row — to paddle
  4. drill — a practice
  5. row — a line
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a great time
  18. firm — steady
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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