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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. club — for golf
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — for dancing
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — a group

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