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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wind — moving air
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — a short time
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mate — a partner
  13. spell — magic
  14. wind — moving air
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. club — a group
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. club — for golf
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mate — a friend
  23. spell — letters
  24. mate — to breed

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