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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — certain
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bound — obliged
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bark — to shout
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. net — in sport
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tear — from crying
  21. perch — the fish
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bound — tied together

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