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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. vault — a safe
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — a cup
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. shower — to wash
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. shower — rain
  16. wound — an injury
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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