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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pop — soda
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kid — child
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — to push
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — shares

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