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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bore — to drill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. object — a thing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. stock — shares
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — the season
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stock — goods

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