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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — in sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. scale — in music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — music
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stock — shares
  22. mug — a face
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ruler — for measuring

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