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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: saw · pass · wound · cold · dip · mate · bear · bay

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mate — to breed
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mate — a partner
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cold — an illness
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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