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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. shower — rain
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chest — of your body
  11. tube — the underground
  12. chest — a box
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. season — in sport
  17. prune — to trim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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