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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. band — a ring
  4. firm — steady
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — a hint
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cue — for pool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wound — an injury
  14. saw — the tool
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. cue — a signal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wound — an injury
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — decided
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. firm — a company
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. band — a music group

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