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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. shower — to wash
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of a king
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — of law
  18. rock — music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. shower — rain
  22. tube — the underground
  23. court — for sport
  24. key — in music

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