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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.

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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: cold · object · pit · mate · bowl · bay · safe · mark

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mate — a friend
  4. object — an aim
  5. cold — not warm
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. mate — to breed
  10. object — a thing
  11. cold — an illness
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — to protest
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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