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

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mate — a partner
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mate — to breed
  16. row — a line
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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