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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. row — to paddle
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pop — music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pop — to visit
  14. last — to go on
  15. pop — soda
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. row — a line
  21. last — final
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — the fish

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