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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. file — a document
  3. object — an aim
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. staff — employees
  8. object — a thing
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ground — the earth
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. file — a line of people
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. staff — a stick
  19. snap — to click
  20. file — a tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. straw — a straw man

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