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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. file — a line of people
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. object — a thing
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. file — a document
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. object — an aim
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. file — a tool
  24. fine — high quality

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