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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. kid — child
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kick — in football
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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