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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chest — of your body
  5. row — to paddle
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chest — a box
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. suit — to fit
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — in cards
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. chest — of your body
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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