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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — a container
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. shower — rain
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. swing — music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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