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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bark — to shout
  4. firm — a company
  5. saw — the tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. swing — to play on
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. firm — steady

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