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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. row — to paddle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. row — a line
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hand — in cards
  13. deal — to handle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ground — the earth
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bass — low music

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