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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bass — the fish
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bass — low music
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cue — a hint
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. safe — a strongbox

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