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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · bear · coach · deal · lean · bay · cell · mark

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lean — to bend
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mark — a grade
  24. kick — with a leg

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