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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — a tin
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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