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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. last — finally
  5. bore — to tire
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — to get on
  8. last — to go on
  9. content — happy
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. content — the amount
  19. last — final
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. board — a committee
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. can — a tin

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