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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lie — to recline
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. squash — to crush
  12. kick — in football
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. squash — the sport
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. fan — a supporter

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