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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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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: bay · dip · firm · coach · straw · pass · fan · last

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. pass — a permit
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. last — final
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — finally
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. last — to go on
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. firm — decided

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