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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rest — a break
  7. toast — bread
  8. perch — the fish
  9. current — electric
  10. rest — what's left
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fork — in a road
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. current — of water
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — happening now

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