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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. spring — a coil
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to drill
  12. spring — the season
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spring — of water
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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