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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bound — tied together
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bound — obliged
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — for sport
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bound — certain
  10. cue — a hint
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cue — for pool
  17. court — of law
  18. suit — to fit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. saw — the tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. court — of a king
  23. saw — the tool
  24. plane — a tool

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