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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. capital — money
  5. kick — in football
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. roll — a cake
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. tube — a container
  11. foot — a measure
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. capital — a city
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. kick — a thrill

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