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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. foot — a measure
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. spring — the season
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spring — of water
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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