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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. firm — decided
  5. drill — a practice
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. firm — a company
  8. land — a country
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bore — to tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. firm — steady
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. drill — army training
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. bay — a horse colour

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