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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. drill — army training
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. firm — steady
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. drill — a practice
  8. firm — decided
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. firm — a company
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. net — in sport
  18. dip — to sink
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — for catching
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. foot — a measure
  23. drill — the tool
  24. net — after costs

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