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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mark — a trace
  17. firm — a company
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. firm — decided
  23. lie — to recline
  24. firm — steady

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