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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — an aim
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. season — of the year
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mate — a friend
  13. object — a thing
  14. cold — an illness
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cold — not warm
  19. object — to protest
  20. mate — a partner
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. season — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. season — to add flavour

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