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

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hand — help

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