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

Word bank: rock · bass · straw · rule · suit · key · bay · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. tear — from crying
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. rock — music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. key — the most important part
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rule — a law
  22. tear — from crying
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bass — low music

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