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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 120 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's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — decided
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — letters
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. spell — magic
  17. firm — a company
  18. cap — a hat
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. spell — a short time
  21. shower — rain
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — steady

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