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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spring — the season
  17. bore — to drill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — to tire
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — of water
  24. bore — gave birth

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