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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — to wash
  5. scale — in music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. shower — rain
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. craft — a skill
  22. scale — size or range
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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