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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bound — certain
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. prune — to trim

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