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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. swing — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rule — government
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mug — to rob
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. mine — for digging
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mug — a cup

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