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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mark — a trace
  4. present — there
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. court — for sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. court — of law
  10. present — a gift
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. court — of a king
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. present — the time now
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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