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

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. season — in sport
  7. race — a contest
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. season — of the year
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. field — for sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mate — a partner
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. field — farmland
  19. race — humankind
  20. swing — to play on
  21. perch — the fish
  22. field — a subject
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. swing — music

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