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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — army training
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. degree — temperature
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bear — the animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. dip — to sink
  24. degree — an amount

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