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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 124 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — steady
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. row — a line
  19. firm — decided
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wound — an injury
  23. firm — a company
  24. straw — a straw man

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