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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rash — a series
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. capital — money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — hasty
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rock — music
  24. capital — a city

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