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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — of water
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. dip — to sink
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. fall — the season
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — electric
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fall — to drop
  20. current — happening now
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. saw — the tool

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