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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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. land — a country
  3. object — an aim
  4. fork — in a road
  5. shower — rain
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. shower — to wash
  12. race — humankind
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. object — to protest
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. object — a thing
  18. rush — hurry
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — ground
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — to come down
  24. race — a contest

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