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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: bay · safe · bear · track · rush · jam · tube · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. track — a song
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rush — hurry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. track — a path
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. tube — a container
  24. jam — in traffic

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