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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. straw — a straw man

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