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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. file — a document
  6. object — an aim
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. drill — a practice
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. drill — army training
  11. object — a thing
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. file — a tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a line of people
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. squash — the sport
  22. object — to protest
  23. bear — the animal
  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