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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — the animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rock — music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rule — a law
  20. bore — to drill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rock — to move gently

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