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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. court — of a king
  10. spring — the season
  11. court — for sport
  12. mate — to breed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rest — a break
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. court — of law
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cue — a signal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — in cards

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