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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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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: bear · rule · straw · pit · craft · bay · swing · lash

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — boats
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rule — government
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bear — the animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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