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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: dip · wake · mate · fan · bay · court · saw · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. court — of law
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. dip — to sink
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. court — for sport
  16. mate — a friend
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — a trail
  24. court — of a king

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