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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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468
Word bank
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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in biology
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fine — all right
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mate — a friend
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. swing — in golf
  24. calf — of the leg

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