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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — final
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. last — to go on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — for money
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bear — the animal
  19. last — finally
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bank — of a river
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. patient — a sick person

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