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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stock — shares
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a round shape

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