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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wake — a trail
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bound — obliged
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bound — certain

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