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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. object — a thing
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. chip — for betting
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a great time
  19. object — an aim
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — to protest

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