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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.

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: pitcher · bay · face · bass · straw · sharp · suit · toast

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. face — to confront
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — bread
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. face — part of the head
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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