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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wound — an injury
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wound — an injury
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — in cards
  21. file — a tool
  22. hand — help
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a document

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