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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. current — of water
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. plane — a tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. current — electric
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. nail — on a finger

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