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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. drill — army training
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the fish
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. game — a match
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bass — the instrument

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