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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hand — help
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — to tire
  13. saw — the tool
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to drill
  24. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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