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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. object — an aim
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. game — a match
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. firm — steady
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. firm — decided
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — a permit
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. chair — a leader

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