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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 120 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. spell — letters
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. shower — rain
  14. vault — a safe
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. spell — magic
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. shower — to wash

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