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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cap — a lid
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cap — a hat
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — child
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — to breed
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mate — a partner
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — to tease
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mate — a friend
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — of ice

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