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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — for paper
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mine — for digging
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. chip — to eat
  16. can — to be able to
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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