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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — in cards
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. club — a group
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. craft — a skill
  18. band — a ring
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. suit — to fit
  24. coach — a trainer

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