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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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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: capital · present · rash · bear · mouse · straw · pass · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rash — hasty
  12. present — the time now
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — a series
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — there
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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