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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — decided
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. firm — a company
  14. snap — to click
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. firm — steady
  24. nail — for a hammer

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