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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bore — to tire
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. saw — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. dip — to sink
  23. saw — the tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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