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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mate — a friend
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — to protest
  13. mate — a partner
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. track — to keep track
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — a company
  22. game — a match
  23. track — a song
  24. mate — to breed

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