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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a great time
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. craft — boats
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — an agreement

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