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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pound — a weight
  5. tube — the underground
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — to get on
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spell — letters
  18. tube — a container
  19. spell — magic
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. safe — out of danger

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