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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bass — low music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hand — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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