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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. march — the month
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lie — to recline
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. safe — a strongbox

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