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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rule — government
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — a law
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. net — in sport
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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