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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cell — in biology
  16. row — to paddle
  17. season — in sport
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. season — of the year
  24. safe — a strongbox

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