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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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. current — of water
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lean — thin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. firm — steady
  13. swing — music
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — decided
  18. lean — to bend
  19. firm — a company
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. swing — in golf
  22. current — happening now
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — electric

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