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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — in music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. key — the most important part
  11. press — a publisher
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mate — to breed
  15. press — to push
  16. key — for a lock
  17. branch — a division
  18. press — newspapers
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. kid — child
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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