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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bark — to shout
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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