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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — a company
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. mug — a face
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. saw — the tool
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pound — a weight
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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