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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. firm — steady
  10. wake — a trail
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. dip — to sink
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. firm — a company
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. firm — decided
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. dip — to dunk

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