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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — to drill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. roll — a list
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bore — to tire

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