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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fine — high quality

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