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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chest — a box
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. chest — of your body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bay — a horse colour

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