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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · bay · perch · mug · straw · mate · object · bulb

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. craft — boats
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a friend
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — the fish
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mug — a cup
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bay — a horse colour

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