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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — a series
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mate — a partner

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