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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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 — to drop
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — to tire
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fall — the season
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fall — to drop
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bore — to drill
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. shower — to wash
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. shower — rain

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