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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mine — for digging
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a great time
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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