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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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. bulb — of a plant
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — boats
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — to play on
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. swing — music
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — an eyelash

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