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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. object — to protest
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. row — a line
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. object — a thing
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — to put up with

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