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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. object — a thing
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. net — after costs
  5. charge — in control
  6. object — to protest
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — for catching
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. object — an aim
  18. net — in sport
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — a price
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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