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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mate — a partner
  7. season — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — to rip
  13. shower — rain
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. season — of the year
  16. shower — to wash
  17. drill — army training
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a friend
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. drill — the tool
  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