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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. court — of law
  5. track — a path
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. track — a song
  14. kick — in football
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. court — for sport
  17. tear — from crying
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lean — to bend
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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