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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fork — in a road
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. perch — the fish
  11. shower — to wash
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bound — certain
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rest — what's left
  20. shower — rain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rest — a break

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