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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. scale — size or range
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — in music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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