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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mate — a friend
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. present — there
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — a container
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a great time
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — a gift
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mate — to breed
  24. present — the time now

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