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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. bore — to tire
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — a grade
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bore — to drill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spring — a coil
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — a trace

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