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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. perch — the fish
  4. key — the most important part
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rule — a law
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mug — to rob
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rule — government
  17. mug — a face
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. key — in music
  24. bay — a horse colour

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