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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — a break
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kick — in football
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — out of danger

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