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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 · straw · can · pound · tear · cue · bay · pass

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. can — a tin
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cue — for pool

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