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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — help
  3. fine — all right
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. row — to paddle
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. toast — bread
  13. row — a line
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hand — in cards

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