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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — to drill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — of the year
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bore — to tire
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. season — in sport
  16. charge — in control
  17. perch — the fish
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. charge — a price
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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