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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pop — music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bound — tied together
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — certain
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — soda
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fan — a supporter

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