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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 124 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. court — of law
  6. chest — of your body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chest — of your body
  10. charge — in control
  11. dip — to sink
  12. court — of a king
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chest — a box
  16. club — for golf
  17. charge — a price
  18. court — for sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bear — the animal
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. club — for dancing
  24. drill — the tool

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