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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. track — a path
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. net — after costs
  8. race — the arms race
  9. swing — to play on
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. net — in sport
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — to drill
  17. race — a contest
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — music
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. straw — dry grass

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