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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. track — a path
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cue — a signal
  8. track — a song
  9. shower — rain
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. shower — to wash
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. cue — for pool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — thin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — a hint

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