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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fine — all right
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. club — for dancing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stem — to come from
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. fork — in a road

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