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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: bay · track · rest · bear · hand · can · lash · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. can — to be able to
  7. track — a path
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — to keep track
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hand — help
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — a horse colour

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