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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. shower — rain
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — clever
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. deal — to handle
  18. perch — the fish
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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