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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — the fish
  5. march — the month
  6. content — the amount
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. march — music
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — to drill
  13. game — a match
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. content — happy
  19. ball — a dance
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. content — videos and posts

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