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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.

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: stand · mug · rash · straw · dip · bulb · bat · rest

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — a break
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rash — a series
  22. mug — a face
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. straw — dry grass

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