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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 · chair · file · drill · ruler · lash · deal

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a line of people
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a tool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a document
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. drill — the tool
  15. chair — a leader
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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