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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. drill — the tool
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. firm — steady
  5. swing — music
  6. mug — a face
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. swing — in golf
  9. drill — a practice
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. swing — to play on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. perch — the fish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mug — a cup
  18. drill — army training
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mug — to rob
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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