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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. file — a line of people
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. firm — decided
  23. file — a document
  24. wound — an injury

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