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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. object — an aim
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spell — letters
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wind — moving air
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. swing — music
  13. object — a thing
  14. spell — a short time
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mate — a friend
  17. spell — magic
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — to protest
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wind — to turn a key

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