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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wind — moving air
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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