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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chip — to eat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. content — the amount
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cue — a signal
  24. content — happy

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