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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. vault — a safe
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rule — a law
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mate — a friend
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mug — a face
  16. mate — to breed
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rule — government
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. date — the fruit

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