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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bay · lash · mine · pitcher · jam · can · safe

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mine — for digging
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. can — to be able to

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