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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: saw · firm · bay · charge · present · pitcher · straw · squash

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. present — a gift
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. squash — to crush
  24. present — there

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