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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — a position
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — the amount
  9. tube — a container
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ground — crushed
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. content — happy
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — an aim
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. tube — the underground
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — to protest
  23. craft — boats
  24. content — videos and posts

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