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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. staff — employees
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. staff — employees
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. staff — a stick

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