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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. row — a line
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. prune — to trim
  21. row — to paddle
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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