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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bay — a horse colour

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