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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — the cause
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cue — a signal
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. root — of a word
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. roll — a list
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cue — a hint
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. root — of a plant
  23. roll — a cake
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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