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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rule — a law
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bound — obliged
  6. capital — money
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bound — tied together
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. sharp — clever
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bound — certain
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. capital — a city
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ball — a great time

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