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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fine — high quality
  7. swing — to play on
  8. object — to protest
  9. swing — music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. scale — in music
  23. object — an aim
  24. straw — a straw man

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