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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cold — not warm
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cold — an illness
  7. pop — soda
  8. mug — a face
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pop — music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bank — for money
  22. deal — to handle
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cold — the Cold War

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