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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — low music
  17. lean — thin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ruler — a monarch

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