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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. squash — the sport
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. present — the time now
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. squash — to crush
  19. present — there
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — a gift
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rash — hasty

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