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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: saw · spring · trunk · stick · mark · bay · lash · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mate — a partner
  24. trunk — of a tree

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