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

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — a practice
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — army training

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