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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. plane — a tool
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bass — the fish
  7. key — in music
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fall — the season
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fall — to drop
  21. key — for a lock
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bass — low 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