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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. last — final
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bear — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — hurry
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — in music

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