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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 120 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: wake · mouse · bay · bowl · calf · cold · can · tear

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. tear — from crying
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cold — an illness
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cold — not warm
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wake — before a funeral

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