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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 drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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 — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — of ice
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. branch — a division
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bulb — for light
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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