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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. capital — money
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. suit — in cards
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. capital — a city
  19. mate — to breed
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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