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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — the cause
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rock — music
  12. root — of a word
  13. band — a ring
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bore — to tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. cue — a hint
  24. band — a music group

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