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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. firm — decided
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. firm — steady
  15. bound — tied together
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rule — a law
  19. bound — obliged
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lash — an eyelash

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