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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.

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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — the fish
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pop — soda
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. squash — to crush
  14. row — to paddle
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. row — a line
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pop — to visit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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