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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — clothes
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cold — not warm
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. squash — to crush
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. squash — the sport
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cold — an illness
  24. saw — the tool

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