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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pop — soda
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pop — music
  24. pit — a hole

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