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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. march — the month
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a great time
  17. march — music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. squash — the sport
  24. march — the month

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