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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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. degree — an amount
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — to protest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — clothes
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — an aim
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bank — for money

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