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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitch — completely
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. current — electric
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. current — of water
  21. hand — help
  22. current — happening now
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. nail — on a finger

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