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

Word bank: toast · deal · perch · bay · bark · mouse · shower · hide

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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. shower — to wash
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. toast — bread
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. shower — rain
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bark — to shout
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mouse — for a computer

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