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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.

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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. snap — to click
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. shower — rain
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. shower — to wash
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal

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