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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pit — in a race
  8. clip — to cut
  9. craft — boats
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — to paddle
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a line
  23. clip — a video
  24. foot — a measure

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