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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bound — certain
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. shower — rain
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. shower — to wash
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bound — obliged
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lean — thin

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