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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · safe · straw · lean · band · suit

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. band — a ring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. suit — to fit
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. lean — to bend
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a music group
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. suit — clothes
  18. straw — a straw man

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