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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. roll — a list
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stem — to come from
  7. last — finally
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — decided
  10. vault — a safe
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. last — to go on
  21. rest — what's left
  22. last — final
  23. rest — a break
  24. roll — a cake

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