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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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Word bank
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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. present — a gift
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — for sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. present — there
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of law
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. court — of a king
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — the time now
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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