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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · straw · rash · season · row · bay · deal · fine

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fine — high quality
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. season — of the year
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rash — hasty
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fine — all right
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rash — a series

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