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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 120 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. suit — to fit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. suit — clothes
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. band — a music group
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chair — a leader
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. racket — a loud noise

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