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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — the animal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. charge — in control
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tube — a container
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. tube — the underground
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wind — moving air
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. charge — electricity

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