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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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. row — to paddle
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rest — a break
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tear — to rip
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. date — the fruit
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. tear — from crying
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — hurry
  23. row — a line
  24. ruler — for measuring

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