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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. 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. leaves — lets stay
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hand — help
  19. firm — steady
  20. cue — a hint
  21. firm — a company
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. 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