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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. shower — rain
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rash — a series
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rash — hasty
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bowl — a football final

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