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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: bay · stick · land · season · lean · club · mouse · present

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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. land — ground
  3. season — of the year
  4. present — the time now
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. club — a group
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. season — in sport
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. present — a gift
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lean — to bend
  18. club — for golf
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — there
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lean — thin

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