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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 116 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: bay · straw · racket · wake · pass · mate · squash · fine

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — a trail
  3. squash — the sport
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fine — all right
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. squash — to crush
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fine — a penalty

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