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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: pitcher · pound · bear · stock · suit · straw · kick · bay

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — goods
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pound — for dogs

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