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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. court — of law
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rest — a break
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — to recline
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. court — for sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. court — of a king
  24. rest — what's left

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