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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — a gift
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. present — there
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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