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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · straw · game · mug · wound · bowl · season · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mug — a face
  7. game — a match
  8. mug — a cup
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. season — of the year
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — wild animals
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. season — in sport
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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