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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lean — thin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. charge — in control
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — the cause
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — in music
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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