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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — rain
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ball — a dance
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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