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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. court — of law
  6. shower — rain
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. firm — decided
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. court — of a king
  12. firm — steady
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. court — for sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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