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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hand — help
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — finally
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. present — there
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bound — certain
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. present — a gift
  13. hand — in cards
  14. staff — employees
  15. bound — obliged
  16. present — the time now
  17. last — to go on
  18. rule — a law
  19. last — final
  20. rule — government
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bound — tied together

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