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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. spell — a short time
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — in sport
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — a song
  15. spell — magic
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. fine — high quality
  19. track — a path
  20. net — after costs
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. net — for catching
  23. fine — all right
  24. mug — a cup

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