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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. tube — a container
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pop — music
  17. can — a tin
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pop — soda
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. perch — the fish
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. tube — the underground
  24. can — a tin

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