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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — steady
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. shower — rain
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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