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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — in cards
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bound — certain
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fork — in a road
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. suit — clothes

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