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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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. safe — a strongbox
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pop — soda
  7. plane — a tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. land — to come down
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. season — of the year
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. land — ground

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