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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mine — for digging
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. object — an aim
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. object — a thing
  12. prune — to trim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. object — to protest
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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