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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. march — music
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. dip — to sink
  12. firm — steady
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. march — the month
  15. firm — a company
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a dance
  24. march — the month

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