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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. band — a ring
  5. deal — to handle
  6. perch — the fish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — help
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mate — to breed
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mate — a partner

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