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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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. racket — a loud noise
  3. march — the month
  4. row — a line
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. march — the month
  7. tube — a container
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — to paddle
  23. root — of a word
  24. hand — in cards

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