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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — the time now
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wind — moving air
  11. present — there
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. present — a gift
  21. chip — for betting
  22. drill — army training
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — to lash out

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