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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. present — the time now
  3. game — wild animals
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. game — a match
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — hurry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. spell — magic
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — letters
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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