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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. perch — the fish
  7. dip — to sink
  8. shower — to wash
  9. club — a group
  10. race — humankind
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. race — a contest
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a skill
  17. club — for golf
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. shower — rain
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — the arms race

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