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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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 horse colour
  2. object — an aim
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. squash — to crush
  11. object — to protest
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mark — a grade
  14. drill — a practice
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bear — the animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. squash — the sport
  23. shower — rain
  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