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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. date — the fruit
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. date — on the calendar

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