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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. root — the cause
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. root — of a word
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — to pay attention

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