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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — boats
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  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