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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. capital — a city
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. shower — rain
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wake — a trail
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. capital — money
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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