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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · firm · ruler · hide · object · ball · bay · drill

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. drill — the tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ball — a dance
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — decided
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hide — to keep secret

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