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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. game — a match
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. present — there
  15. firm — a company
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. game — wild animals
  19. present — a gift
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — the time now
  22. wax — to grow
  23. firm — decided
  24. wax — in the ear

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