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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. firm — a company
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. content — the amount
  17. game — wild animals
  18. content — happy
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bark — to shout
  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