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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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 horse colour
  3. row — to paddle
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. roll — a list
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. object — to protest
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a document
  19. row — a line
  20. sharp — clever
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — a cake

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