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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.

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: prune · land · rush · key · plane · hide · straw · bay

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. prune — to trim
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. land — to come down
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. land — a country
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rush — hurry
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — in music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. land — ground
  23. straw — dry grass
  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