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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. craft — boats
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. swing — in golf
  5. can — a tin
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — what's left
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. swing — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. firm — decided
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. firm — steady
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rest — what's left

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