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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. chair — a leader
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — in a race
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stock — goods
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. stock — shares
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chair — to sit on

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