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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pound — a weight
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fork — in a road
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cell — in biology
  23. tear — to rip
  24. fork — a garden tool

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