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

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. perch — for a bird

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