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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. shower — rain

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