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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rash — a series
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — the tool
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rash — hasty
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mug — a face
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. deal — to handle

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