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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. object — an aim
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. can — to be able to
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. object — a thing
  15. fork — in a road
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — to protest
  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