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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.

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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bound — tied together
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bound — obliged
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. toast — bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bound — certain

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