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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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468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. present — the time now
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. present — a gift
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — decided
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. present — there
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — a company
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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