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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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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: lash · mug · chair · capital · straw · dip · mark · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — a grade
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mug — a cup
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mug — a face
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mark — a trace
  17. capital — money
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — to sink
  22. capital — a city
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chair — a leader

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