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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — a face
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mug — to rob
  19. squash — to crush
  20. root — the cause
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mug — a cup
  23. root — of a word
  24. dip — to dunk

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