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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 116 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's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. root — of a word
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. root — the cause
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bass — the fish
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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