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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. file — a tool
  6. swing — music
  7. race — the arms race
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. file — a document
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. race — humankind
  20. file — a line of people
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. race — a contest
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bass — the fish

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