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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. content — happy
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ball — a dance
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bowl — to roll

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