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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. track — a song
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rush — hurry
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. march — the month
  24. pass — a permit

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