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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lean — thin
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. lean — to bend
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. toast — bread
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mark — a grade
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. nail — on a finger

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