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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. sharp — clever
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to tire
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — to drill
  23. roll — a cake
  24. arm — part of the body

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