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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. net — in sport
  4. lie — to recline
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. net — for catching
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pop — music
  12. band — a music group
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. band — a ring

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