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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. firm — steady
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. shower — rain
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — the tool
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — a company
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. firm — decided
  12. can — to be able to
  13. drill — army training
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. can — a tin
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. kick — in football
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — to spend time

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