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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. spring — of water
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kick — in football
  5. dip — to sink
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stock — goods
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. season — in sport
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stock — shares
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. spring — the season
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stock — a soup base

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