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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mug — a face
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. degree — an amount
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tear — to rip
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. degree — from a university
  16. swing — to play on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. degree — temperature
  20. swing — in golf
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — from crying

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