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

Word bank: season · straw · date · stand · mark · bay · ruler · safe

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. season — in sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. straw — dry grass

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