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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: dip · bay · wind · hide · rest · object · drill · scale

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — the tool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. object — an aim
  7. scale — in music
  8. object — a thing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. drill — army training
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. object — to protest
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rest — a break

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