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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 116 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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cap — of ice
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — clothes
  9. drill — army training
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — in cards
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bat — for baseball

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