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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 · mate · leaves · bulb · suit · bowl · calf · kid

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mate — to breed

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