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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 116 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mine — for digging
  4. shower — rain
  5. swing — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. swing — in golf
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mug — to rob
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. mug — a face
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. swing — to play on
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bear — the animal

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