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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 116 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. staff — employees
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rash — hasty
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pound — a weight
  24. board — a flat piece

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