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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. fall — the season
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spell — letters
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. spell — a short time
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mug — to rob
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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