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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: lie · mug · pop · nail · pitch · bark · straw · fall

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — soda
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fall — to drop

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