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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. track — a song
  17. pit — in a race
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lean — thin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wind — moving air

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