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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bowl · cell · rash · nail · bear · straw · track · mug

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rash — a series
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rash — hasty
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cell — a phone
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mug — to rob
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mug — a face
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — a song
  24. bear — the animal

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