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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — a group
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. drill — army training
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. present — the time now
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. present — there
  12. club — for golf
  13. present — a gift
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — the amount
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. club — for dancing
  18. firm — steady
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — happy
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. bulb — for light

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