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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bay — a horse colour

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