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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wound — an injury
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. tube — a container
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. can — a tin
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. file — a document
  14. snap — to click
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. can — to be able to
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. file — a tool

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