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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — a path
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spell — letters
  5. track — a song
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — the underground
  10. spell — magic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. track — to keep track
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. squash — to crush
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. tube — a container

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