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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mate — a friend
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mate — to breed
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. club — for dancing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — for golf
  17. dip — to sink
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. club — a group
  23. stand — to bear
  24. dip — a sauce

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