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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. net — in sport
  7. row — a line
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rule — a law
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rule — government
  21. net — after costs
  22. rock — music
  23. row — to paddle
  24. straw — dry grass

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