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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rash — a series
  6. club — for golf
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mate — a friend
  10. club — a group
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. firm — steady
  18. rash — hasty

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