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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: lean · present · toast · straw · ground · bay · foot · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. season — in sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ground — a position
  6. present — a gift
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. season — of the year
  11. present — there
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. toast — bread
  19. present — the time now
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lean — thin
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bay — a horse colour

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