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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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. last — finally
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. last — final
  21. rock — music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. can — to be able to

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