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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — to recline
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stock — goods
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. stock — shares
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lie — an untruth

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