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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.

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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: club · straw · pass · mouse · mug · safe · lean · deal

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — thin
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. deal — to handle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mug — a cup
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. club — a group
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mug — a face
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. club — for dancing

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