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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bass — low music
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bass — the fish
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fan — to cool the air

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