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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lean — thin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pit — a hole
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rash — a series
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — a weight
  24. racket — for tennis

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