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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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. fall — the season
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ball — a dance
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bear — the animal

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