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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. drill — a practice
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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