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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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. sharp — clever
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spell — magic
  6. bat — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — in cards
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — a short time
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stand — on your feet

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