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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. game — a match
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. swing — in golf
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — music
  13. content — happy
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — in cards
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. swing — to play on

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