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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. suit — in cards
  5. tear — to rip
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. suit — to fit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. row — a line
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a dance
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. row — to paddle
  24. leaves — of a tree

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