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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bound — certain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bound — obliged
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bowl — to roll

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