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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — to protest
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rest — a break
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. object — a thing
  18. dip — a sauce

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