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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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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: file · bay · cell · pit · squash · suit · straw · mate

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. suit — in cards
  7. file — a tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — to breed
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. file — a document
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mate — a partner
  24. cell — a phone

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