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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — a partner
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mate — a friend
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pound — a weight
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. sharp — exactly

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