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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mark — a grade
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pop — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — boats

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