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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rule — a law
  7. tube — the underground
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rule — government
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. bear — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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