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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: bay · mark · racket · object · tear · fork · calf · season

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. tear — from crying
  6. season — of the year
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. tear — to rip
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. object — an aim
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mark — a grade
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. object — to protest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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