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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bound — tied together
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bound — certain
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bound — obliged

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