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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. court — for sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stem — to come from
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ball — a great time
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ball — a dance
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. court — of law
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. court — of a king

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