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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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. pitch — completely
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — from a university
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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