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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bass — the fish
  6. track — a path
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rule — government
  9. track — a song
  10. content — the amount
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. rule — a law
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. leaves — to go away

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