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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — to recline
  3. spring — of water
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. spring — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — to hit hard

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