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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pop — soda
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fork — to eat with

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