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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. court — of law
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bore — to drill
  11. court — for sport
  12. root — the cause
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kid — child
  17. bore — to tire
  18. root — of a word
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — of a plant
  21. court — of a king
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kid — to tease

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