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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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Word bank
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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 · mark · row · can · lie · bass · chip · pitcher

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. row — a line
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. can — to be able to
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bass — the fish
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. row — a quarrel

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