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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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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: dip · content · lie · plane · straw · craft · object · safe

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. object — a thing
  3. craft — boats
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — happy
  12. lie — to recline
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. object — to protest
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. content — the amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. object — an aim

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