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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: fine · cold · hide · bay · bore · bowl · arm · bear

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. cold — an illness
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bowl — a dish

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