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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. branch — a division
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. jam — to spread on bread

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