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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.

Make a worksheet

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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rest — a break
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rock — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rush — to hurry

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