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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. branch — a division
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rule — a law
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rule — government
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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