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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. firm — steady
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — a company
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. firm — decided
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ball — a dance
  17. drill — army training
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. scale — in music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bore — gave birth

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