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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. track — a song
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chip — to eat
  8. hand — help
  9. chip — for betting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. staff — employees
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a dance
  22. tear — to rip
  23. hand — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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