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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. pitch — completely
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stem — to come from
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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