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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rash — a series
  3. drill — the tool
  4. net — for catching
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rash — hasty
  8. saw — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. drill — army training
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bound — certain
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mug — a cup
  20. net — in sport
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. net — after costs
  24. mug — to rob

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