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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · hide · kick · tear · object · perch

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. perch — the fish
  6. tear — from crying
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — a thing
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. tear — from crying
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tear — to rip

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